Acetylene-gas generator



Jan. 15

L. CAMPBELL, JR

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 27 i.- II II II "1'." lllllllll' Inverri'iav L. CAMPBELL, JR .ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR 'Jan. 15' 1924.

Filed April 2'7, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inverz'ibr 1407-71. can

1. beZZ 7;

Patented Jan. 15, 1924.

' tee STATES mm CAMPBELL, RL, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA; 5

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

Application filed A 'n'i 2-7, 1920. Serial No. 376,9 1.13." 1

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Loan CAMPBELL, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of hlinnesota, have invented anew and useful Acetylene-Gas Generator, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in acetylene gas generators.

Its object is to provide a simple, durable and compact gas generator comprising a tank with carbide feeding mechanism therein, a bracket on said tank adapted to carry a motor for driving said mechanism, controlling mechanism for the motor and pressure operated actuating means for said controlling mechanism, said bracket being formed with a passageway leading from.

said tank to said actua'ting mechanism.

Another ObJEOl? 1s to; provide a dev ce of this kindhaving a'drlving shaft entering the tank, abracket functioning, as above,

and supplied withastulfing box for said shaft; i I

With the. foregoing and other objects n view, which will appear in the following description, the invention residesin the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed. I

In the' drawingsFig. 1 is a view ,,pa;rtly in section, illustrating a device emhodying my invention; Fig. 2 1s awperspective' view in detailnof the motorsupportingbracket; F ig. 3 is a sectionalv-iewf taken von the line 33 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken-on .tlielined-1 1 .of'Fig. 3 and illustrating particularly the motor, supporting bracket therefor and actuating means for the motor controlling mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate a tank having a removable cover 11 therefor. Said tank is supplied with a gas outlet 12 and a water inlet 13. A hopper 14, secured to the cover 11, opens above a feeding platform 15 suspended by rods 16 attached to said hopper. An opening 17 in said cover, normally closed by a plug 18, provides for the introduction of carbide to the hopper 14. A feeding shaft 19 revoluble at its lower end in said platform and passing through an opening 20 in the cover 11 of the tank, is

supplied at its lower end with an agitator 21 fixed against rotation with respect thereto. Said shaft 19 is rotated, as will hereinafter appear, to feed carbide from the platform 15 intowater beneath said platform. I supply a bracket A designed to be attached to the cover 11 of the generating tank, said bracket being adapted ,to revolubly. receive the feeding shaft 19, close the opening 20 in the cover 11, supports motor for turning saidshaftfalso the controlling mechanism for the motor and the pressure operated actuating means for said con trolling mechanism, said bracket being furtheradapted to furnish means of communication between the interior of the tank and said actuat ng means. This bracket com,- pr ses a body port on .22having flanges, 23

and 24 at the extremities thereof, said bodyportion being formed with a passageway 25 extending therethrough. The flange 23 has a reduced portion 23 formedwith a bore 26 therein to receive thefeeding shaft 19.' A

gland 2'7 threaded in an enlargement28 of i the bore 26 retains stuffing" material 29 therein and forms a pressure tight joint between said flange 23 and the shaft 19. The

reduced portion 23? of the, flange 23 "is threaded in the opening 20 or otherwise securedtherein,so asto draw the rim 23 .of the flange 23 againsta gasket'3Q interposed between sa d flange and cover.

, The upper flange 24 of the lbracket A is offset from the lower flange 23suiiiciently to clear the feeding shaft 19. A motor frame B, consisting of upper and lower plates/ 31 and 32 spaced apart by \p ostsi33," is secured by means of screws 34 to the upper flange 24. Interposedv between said lowerfplate 32. and flange 24: a discl .or diaphragm 35;, spaced apart froni' saidflange andplate by means of annular shims 36. Pressure from within the tank 10, communicated to the diaphragm 35 throughthe passageway 25 in the bracket,

lifts the diaphragm, which action is emto said shaft and anchored at its outer end to a post 33 in the motor frame. This plate carries a dog 41 engaging a ratchet wheel 42 on the feeding shaft 19. I A large spur gear 43 on said shaft 19 meshes with a small gear 44 on an idler shaft 45 carrying a large gear 46 meshing with a small gear 47 on a governor shaft 48. A sleeve 49 on the governor shaft 48 is formed with an annular brake member 50, which is depressed upon the spreading of governor arms 51 attached to said shaft 48 and sleeve 49. An adjusta ble abutment 52 for said brake member is carried in the free end of an oscillatory arm 53 pivotally attached to the plate 32 of the motor frame. This arm 53 lies in a guide 54 formed on a rest 55, said rest being seated upon the diaphragm 35 and passing through an opening 36 in the lower plate 32 of the motor frame. To provide for themaintenance of various pressures within the tank, I employ a coiled compression spring 56, the lower end thereof encircling a lug 57 on the arm 53 and the upper end encircling a lug 58 on a head-piece 59. A set screw 60 threaded in the upper plate 31 is seated in a depression 61 in said head piece. This spring and adjusting screw provide for the application of various yielding pressures against the arm 53' and furnishes conveniently adjustable means, whereby desired pressures of gas may be maintained within the tank 10.

One of the principal advantages of my invention resides in the employment of a bracket to support a motor, the controlling mechanism therefor and the actuating means for said controlling mechanism, said bracket serving further to seal the opening in the tank for the driving shaft and furnish means of communication between the tank and actuating means for the motor governing mechanism.

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a generating tank of a unitary carbide feeding mechanism for said tank having communication therewith through a single opening therein, said mechanism including a motor, a feeding shaft operated thereby and reaching into the tank through said opening, a diaphragm, motor controlling means actuated by the latter, and a hollow bracket upon which said members are mounted, said bracket supplying the sole anchorage to the tank for said mechanism and serving to close the opening in said tank, also serving as a conduit between the tank and diaphragm and as a bearing for said shaft at its point of entry into the tank.

2. In a device of the class described, a generating tank, and carbide feeding mechanism therefor including a rotary feeding shaft entering said tank through an opening therein, a bracket including a body portion, a flange at the base thereof receiving said shaft, and a second flange at the .outer end of the body portion, said first mentioned flange being attached to the tank and serving to close the opening therein, a packing gland for the shaft applied to the base flange from the outer side thereof, said body portion being formed so that said second flange clears the feeding shaft and gland therefor, a diaphragm mounted on said second flange,

said body portion of said bracket being formed with a passage-way therein communicating with the tank and leading to said diaphragm, a motor frame also mounted on said second flange, a motor to drive the feeding shaft and motor controlling mechanism both carried by the frame, said mechanism being actuated by said diaphragm.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

LORN CAMPBELL, J R. 

